Quantitative comparison of group-based music therapy experiences in an acute care adult mental health setting: A four-group cluster-randomized study

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Acute care mental health inpatients have the expertise to evaluate different group-based music therapy interventions. Moreover, from an objectivist worldview, there is a need for data concerning non-symptom measures that are specific to group-based music therapy experiences using randomized designs. The purpose of this posttest-only study is to compare how adult acute care mental health inpatients rated group experiences of three different types of educational music therapy for illness management and recovery (EMT-IMR) interventions and a recreational music therapy (RMT) intervention.

Methods: Participants (N = 91) were cluster-randomized to one of four single-session group-based conditions: EMT-IMR-songwriting, EMT-IMR-lyric analysis, EMT-IMR-social story, or RMT-music therapy game.

Results: There were significant between-group differences concerning RMT and EMT-IMR (both lyric analysis and songwriting conditions) in the sharing of emotions and experiences subscale. Participants in the EMT-IMR conditions rated this subscale higher than participants in the RMT condition. Although no other difference was significant, descriptive statistics tended to favor the three EMT-IMR conditions. Group experiences descriptive data from people in community mental health services from a previous study were also compared with data collected in the current study. Results indicated tendencies for the three EMT-IMR conditions to have slightly higher mean group experiences scores across all subscales than participants in the non-music therapy community mental health services condition.

Discussion: Specifically targeting illness management and recovery via EMT-IMR may be practical, effective, and constitute an ideal model within acute care mental health facilities. Limitations, suggestions for future inquiry, and implications for clinical practice are provided.

KEYWORDS:

• Mental health
• acute care
• group experiences
• music therapy
• randomized
• quantitative comparison
• songwriting
• lyric analysis
• recreational

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michael J. Silverman

Michael J. Silverman (Ph.D., MT-BC, Full Professor) is the Director of the Music Therapy Program and a Distinguished Teaching Professor at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Silverman is a member of the research staff at the University Hospital where he is engaged in music therapy clinical practice and research with adults with mental health and substance use disorders